Recently, I had a friend turn to me and say that she has so many vases, she doesn’t know what to do with all of them. She thinks she must have over 40 in her house and she wants to clean them out, but she doesn’t even know where to start.
We love stuff and a lot of us love to collect stuff. Throw in gifts, heirlooms, and the old things from your mother’s house you forgot about, and that all adds up to a lot! Looking to start the paring down process? Fear not, I’ve got you covered with these 5 easy-to-follow guidelines on how to narrow down those 40 vases (or books, linens, toys, you name it!).
1. Get rid of anything that is broken or dirty and cannot be cleaned.
Keeping broken or neglected items in your house is like hoarding negative energy. It can reflect itself back into your life through poor health, frustration, overwhelm, strained personal relationships, and financial difficulties. Start by clearing out the stuff that is broken or dirty beyond repair, cannot fulfill the purpose that it was originally intended for, or doesn’t work anymore. If you really like the item and want to fix it, feel free. But only fix and keep it if you’re going to look at it as a restored treasure. If you’ll forever see it as something that’s flawed or broken, even when fixed, it’s time to give it up.
2. If it brings up negative feelings, it’s ok to let it go.
We all have items in our house that make us think of something negative. Maybe an aunt who you weren’t very fond of gave you something, or you bought an object when you were in a dark place in your life. Unfortunately, those associations stick with us, so when you look at those items, you’re reminded of people, places, or times in your life that don’t bring you joy. Anything that doesn’t put a smile on your face or bring up fond memories should be removed from your house. Otherwise, you’re willingly inviting in negative thoughts and energy (and who wants to do that?).
3. Don’t hang on to items that you don’t like!
This one seems obvious but is still hard for a lot of people. If it’s something that you just don’t like anymore, it’s ok to get rid of it. Maybe your tastes have changed or it was a gift that you always thought was ugly. It’s more important to use the items in your home than to hang on to stuff that you’ll never use and is just collecting dust.
4. If you haven’t used it in two or more years, you’re probably not going to any time soon.
There’s probably a good explanation for why you haven’t picked up that item in three years. Whatever the reason, you’ve either forgotten about it or have actively avoided using it, which means you don’t need it. Don’t let it take up valuable space.
5. Ignore whether it was expensive or a gift.
We often trick ourselves into hanging on to stuff that we no longer want or need by saying that it cost a lot of money or was a gift. We’re too embarrassed to admit we don’t want it anymore. Again, if you’re not using it, it’s not doing anything for you. If it was expensive, try to resell it, and if it was a gift, consider making a contribution to a charity after giving it away to help alleviate the guilt and balance the energy behind the transaction. There’s nothing wrong with being honest about what you want or (in this case) don’t want. Don’t let shame or guilt stop you from moving forward.
Cleaning out the clutter in our homes helps to make space for new things to enter our lives. It can be daunting to start the clean-out process, but once you do, you’ll feel so much lighter, freer, and more in control of your life.
Happy de-cluttering!
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